This textbook chapter presents ocean and wetland ecosystems, and describes how floating plastic trash endangers aquatic species. Oceanographer Jacques Cousteau is profiled. The resource includes a student action plan to reduce waste in their...(View More) community, a link to current news articles and a teacher's guide. This is the seventh chapter in the unit, Losing Biodiversity, examining the endangerment and extinction of entire species of plants and animals throughout the world due to human actions. The resource is part of Global System Science (GSS), an interdisciplinary course for high school students that emphasizes how scientists from a wide variety of fields work together to understand significant problems of global impact.(View Less)

This textbook chapter summarizes the changes in the ecosystems found in the world's forests. This is chapter 2 in the unit, A New World View, which introduces global systems science, emphasizing the concepts of environmental diversity, Earth as a...(View More) system, and sustainability. The resource includes a textbook chapter, integrated hands-on and inquiry activities, links to current news articles, and a suite of pre- and post-unit assessments. A teacher's guide supports classroom use. The resource is part of Global Systems Science (GSS), an interdisciplinary course for high school students that emphasizes how scientists from a wide variety of fields work together to understand significant problems of global impact.(View Less)

This is a lesson about the evidence for life on other planets. Learners will play a game to examine processes in cellular metabolism and explore both direct and indirect evidence for fingerprints of life. Includes teacher notes, learning objectives,...(View More) and assessment of prior knowledge and preconceptions. This is Lesson 2 in Exploring Deep-Subsurface Life. Earth Analogues for Possible Life on Mars: Lessons and Activities.(View Less)

This is a lesson about extremophiles and using DNA sequences to classify them. Learners will describe the characteristics of a newly discoverd thermophyllic organism and use the DNA sequence to place that organism in the phylogenetic tree of life....(View More) Includes teacher notes, learning objectives, and assessment of prior knowledge and preconceptions. This is Lesson 3 in Exploring Deep-Subsurface Life. Earth Analogues for Possible Life on Mars: Lessons and Activities(View Less)

This activity is about planetary climate. Once familiar with the factors that determine a planet's surface temperature, learners will use an interactive spreadsheet model of a planet's atmosphere to determine if greenhouse gases, luminosity of the...(View More) source, the distance of the planet from the source and the albedo of the planet can be manipulated so that the average surface temperature on Mars or Venus could support human life. Learners will then be asked to make some conclusions about these methods and suggest improvements for the spreadsheet model (see related resources for link to this model). The activity requires use of Microsoft Excel software. This is Activity D in the fourth module, titled "How do Atmospheres Affect Planetary Temperatures?," of "Earth Climate Course: What Determines a Planet's Climate?."(View Less)

This is a lesson that sets up the final project for the Astronomy unit. Learners will research the requirements for human survival and analyze the planets and moons in our solar system to assess the ability of each to support human survival. The...(View More) lesson models scientific inquiry using the 5E instructional model and includes teacher notes, prerequisite concepts, common misconceptions, student journal and reading. This is lesson 12 in the Astro-Venture Astronomy Unit. The lessons are designed for educators to use in conjunction with the Astro-Venture multimedia modules.(View Less)